August 2024
Being able to get to and from school without a parent is a great way for kids to develop independence. But whether it’s walking to school, riding a bike, or taking the bus, kids first need to learn how to travel safely.
To start, do some trial runs with your child before they will be traveling to and from the bus stop or school on their own. Make sure they know the route as well as key safety rules:
Safety while walking to school
- Walk on the sidewalk, if one is available, or walk facing traffic if there is no sidewalk.
- Obey traffic signs and know what signals mean.
- Cross streets at crosswalks.
- Before you cross the street, stop and look left, right, and left again to see if cars are coming.
Safety while biking to school
- Always wear a helmet.
- Make sure your helmet is fitted and secured properly.
- Ride on the right side of the road, with traffic, and in single file.
- Walk the bike across crosswalks.
Riding the bus to school
- Stand six feet away (or three giant steps) from the curb while waiting for the bus.
- Before crossing the street when getting off the bus, wait until the driver puts out the stop sign to signal that all traffic should stop.
- When crossing, first walk on the sidewalk (or shoulder) until you’re 10 feet in front of the bus. You should always be able to see the bus driver, and the bus driver should always be able to see you.
- Finally, look both ways before crossing, even if the bus driver’s stop sign is out.
